Closing seminar Debating Older People’s Needs project, Committee of the Regions, Brussels, 7 December 2010

07.12.2010

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Promoting Adequate Income and Dignity in Old Age through Civil Dialog was the theme of a closing seminar organised in the frame of InclusAge project – Debating older people’s needs and the European Year 2010 on combating Poverty and social exclusion.

The seminar took place in the Committee of the Regions in Brussels on 7 December and was organised with the active participation of the national partners from 8 countries and AGE Platform Europe. Tulip Foundation and Charity Association Donka Paprikova from Bulgaria are the partners in the project.

The seminar was opened by Kartika Liotard, MEP, Co-President of the Intergroup on Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity and Anne-Sophie Parent, AGE Platform Europe, Secretary General.

Older people from Poland, Italy and Slovakia living on a minimum income shared their experience.

Jean-Pierre Bultez, France made a presentation on Adequacy of income for older people – how to meet older people’s needs alongside old age. Asghar Zaidi, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna spoke about the Prevalence of poverty risks among older people across EU countries and national policies in adjusting minimum pensions to reduce poverty.

Stella Hoff, the Netherlands Institute for Social Research, The Hague presented a methodology for a Minimum income Agreed upon – Consensual Budget standards for the Netherlands.

Testimonies by older people about their participation in public debate and policy making were followed with an interest from all participants. Marie Slejsková from Czech Republic, Filip Hamro-Drotz from Finland, Helena Holun from Poland and Chavdara Staikova and Radka Popova from Cahrity Association Donka Paprikova, Bulgaria spoke about their experience in public debates.

The panel discussion include: Marie-Anne Paraskevas, European Commission DG EMPL, Unit Social Inclusion; Marian Harkin, MEP and President of the Interest Group on Care; Koen Vleminck, Co-ordinator "Adequate social protection", Belgian EU Presidency; Arnoldas Abramavicius, Committee of Regions, President of the Commission for Economic and Social Policy; Rudi Van Dam, Belgian Member of the SPC Indicators Sub-group and Sian Jones, EAPN Policy Coordinator.

Maciej Kucharczyk, Managing Director of AGE Platform Europe presented the methodology ‘Promoting Older People’s Social Inclusion through Civil Dialogue’ that is being developed by the partners in the InclusAge project. The Bulgarian partners in the project are Tulip Foundation and charity Association Donka Paprikova.